Networking to Improve the Christian Response

The Approach and Experience of Viva Network

Dick Stellway

Together for Children

The problems impacting children are vast

27,000 children dying each day from preventable hunger and disease100 million children living or working on the streets1.2 million children trafficked each year

2.3 million children < 15 infected with HIV

15.2 million children < 18 orphaned by AIDS

--UNICEF & UNAIDS statistics

The Christian response is also vast

A six country study of the response of FBOs to OVC in Africa reported on by Geoff Foster (2003) revealed

over 7800 OVC initiatives supported by nearly 140,000 volunteers

mostly through community based initiatives involving spiritual, material, educational, and

psychosocial support

But Christian workers are often isolation and poorly prepared

Ian de Villiers’ informal study of ministries to children in India -

more than half had never heard of projects very near to them.

many workers appeared nearly as traumatized as the children they served.

In the six country study noted above, Dr. Foster observed:

most had never visited or read a description of another congregation’s initiative

community responses were initiated without literature reviews, situation analyses or fact-finding visits to model programs

Based on his observations of children’s programs around the world, Patrick McDonald concludes:

as many as 75% of indigenous ministries collapse within the first 24 months

the death and closure can be traced back to mistakes made in the first couple of years of existence

Pressing Questions -

How can we end the isolation and shore up beleaguered operations?

How can we improve the quality, quantity, efficiency and scope of the Christian response?

By Networking!

What’s a Network?

“A network is a group of individuals and organizations who come together around one or more clearly defined commonalities to exchange information and/or undertake joint activities and who organize themselves in such a way that their individual autonomy remains intact.” --Viva Networking Manual

A Three Stage Process

Exploration

Formation

Operation

Exploration Stage

An Exploration Team is formed with people who agree to conduct the Exploration Stage in a specific geographic area and time frame.

The team should be made up of individuals who see the value of networking and are able to inspire and rally others to join the cause.

Outcome of a good exploration stage:

--documented information on what is being done to help ‘children at risk’

--what still needs to be done to help ‘children at risk’

--deeper relationships between Christians helping ‘children at risk’ in the local area

--understanding of the potential of a network

--desire to meet together to discuss further

Formation Stage

The activity of bringing individuals and groups together to plan to develop a network

During the Formation Meeting participants will

--Realize the wider context within which they are working

--Discuss the potential and benefits of working together

--Prioritize common objectives that they would like to work together on

--Reach an agreement on whether they need and want to develop a network.

If they decide to develop a network, participants will need to

Appoint a Steering Group, responsible for the overall administration and logistics of the network

Appoint a coordinator to facilitate the process of developing a network on behalf of those present

Agree on details for the next meeting of the group

Network Operation

The implementation of joint strategies and objectives and the developing of the network to its fullest potential.

The Operation Stage is where all of the different players participate in --Networking: Linking members to each other for

mutual benefit, and then to others beyond the network who may be able to help and contribute skills

--Network Support Services: Services that the network members have agreed are needed in order to sustain and hold the network together.

--Network Projects: Joint activities that members agree are needed in order to serve their common aims and objectives.

Note: Members can carry network Projects out as a whole group, though usually they are designated to Working Groups.

Lessons Learned about Effective Networks

1. God focused2. Share commonalities (passions) and

recognize common need3. Clearly define their objectives4. Carry out concrete (“visible”)

activities5. Enjoy member ownership and

participation

6. Secure necessary resources7. Engage in thorough planning,

monitoring and evaluation8. have functioning structures in place

to facilitate their operations9. Maintain trusting and open

relationships10.Enjoy credibility in the wider

environment

Viva now has

over 40 local networks

in 40 countries

involving over 7,000 local projects